102 
MAMMALIA. 
flight, and here and there the common red bat was on the wing ; 
still for some time not a Flying Squirrel made its appearance. 
Suddenly, however, one emerged from its hole and ran up to the 
top of a tree ; another soon followed, and ere long dozens came 
forth, and commenced their graceful flights from some upper branch 
to a lower bough. At times one would be seen darting from the 
topmost branches of a tall oak, and with wide-extended membranes 
and outspread tail gliding diagonally through the air, till it reached 
the foot of a tree about fifty yards off, when at the moment we 
expected to see it strike the earth, it suddenly turned upwards and 
alighted on the body of the tree. It would then run to the top 
and once more precipitate itself from the upper branches, and sail 
back again to the tree it had just left. Crowds of these little 
creatures joined in these sportive gambols ; there could not have 
been less than two hundred. Scores of them would leave each 
tree at the same moment, and cross each other, gliding like spirits 
through the air, seeming to have no other object in view than to 
indulge a playful propensity.” * 
The Flying Squirrel is the most highly specialized of the family 
to which it pertains, its whole structure pre-eminently fitting it for 
arboreal life. The peculiar tegumentary expansion along the sides 
enables it to make flying leaps that far exceed those of other 
squirrels ; and the ease, grace, and rapidity with which it glides 
from tree to tree inspires the merest passer-by with wonder and 
admiration. Its ordinary mode of progression is by a series of 
alternate climbs and leaps. Upon reaching a tree the first act is 
to ascend, for, being unable to sail horizontally, it must attain a 
considerable elevation before venturing to leap to the next. Instead 
of moving off in this way when disturbed, it sometimes runs up into 
the topmost branches of the nearest tree, and, coiling itself into 
surprisingly small compass, remains motionless till the intruder 
has taken his departure. 
* Quadrupeds of North America, Vol. I, 1846, p. 218. 
